Councillor Simon Radford

Cabinet - Tuesday 18th February, 2025 7.00 pm

The meeting began with a discussion of Barnet Council's financial position, which is facing a projected budget gap of up to £79 million. Councillors noted a consistent shortfall in savings delivery, with the council consistently achieving only around 85% of its savings targets. They also expressed concerns about the increasing number of pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), which is outstripping the overall pupil population growth and putting pressure on the council's budget. The council's low social housing stock was also highlighted as a contributing factor to the high costs of temporary accommodation. The impact of an ageing population on adult social care costs was also discussed.

Cabinet - Wednesday 5th February, 2025 7.00 pm

At this meeting the Cabinet agreed to refer the Barnet Local Plan 2021-2036 to Full Council for formal adoption on 04 March 2025, to approve a new Planning Obligations SPD, and to approve the capital expenditure budget for the Improving Barnet's Roads 2025/26 Programme. The cabinet also approved the Annual Procurement Forward Plan for 2025-26. They also noted three motions referred to them from the Full Council meeting of 28 January 2025.

Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) - Wednesday 29th January, 2025 7.00 pm, NEW

The committee noted the Quarterly Risks Report - Q3 202425 and the Grant Certification Report - GARMS Jan 25. The committee also noted the 202324 Interim Audit Findings Report and were assured by the new auditors that a disclaimed opinion would be issued for the 2023/24 accounts once the previous years were signed off by the previous auditors, and the issue relating to the legality of pre-payment of pension contributions was resolved. The committee then noted the Internal Audit Exception Recommendations Report and Q3 Progress Report 1 October 2024 to 31 December 2024 and the work programme, which was rearranged to accommodate the additional meeting in December 2024.

Council - Tuesday 28th January, 2025 7.00 pm

The Council of Barnet Council met on Tuesday 28 January 2025. The meeting started with tributes to Councillor Eva Greenspan, and former Councillors Usha Chopra and Joe Lee who had all sadly passed away. The council then adopted the [Joint Report of the Monitoring Officer and Chief Finance Officer (section 151 Officer)][Council cover report 28 January 2025], which detailed unlawful payments that had been made to, and from the Barnet Pension Fund. The Council delegated to the Pension Fund and Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committees the task of establishing the best way to rectify these unlawful payments, and delegated authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Monitoring Officer and Chief Finance Officer, to put those steps into effect. The council also noted the appointment of Alexa, Alina, Zahra, and Shama from Copthall Girls School to speak about the 60th anniversary of the London Borough of Barnet.

Pension Fund Committee - Tuesday 14th January, 2025 7.00 pm, NEW

This meeting has been postponed.